The Philippines protests China’s floating ‘structure’ on the disputed South China Sea shoal The Philippines has lodged a protest against China’s placement of a floating structure with personnel on a disputed shoal in the South China Sea. Officials in Manila are concerned this could be an attempt by Beijing to transform the uninhabited atoll into an island base. The deployment has raised fears about China’s expansionist intentions in the region.

• The Philippines has protested China’s deployment of a floating structure on a disputed South China Sea shoal.
• Manila fears the structure, which has personnel, is part of Beijing’s plan to create an island base.
• The shoal in question is currently an uninhabited atoll.